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Why I will never buy another Samsung device

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Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#631

Post by ornornor »

HWR_14 wrote: post #629
ornornor wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. The entity that does the data mining is the same across all “smart” product lines.

I've been asked "what's the danger of having Samsung datamine my washing machine/dryer/dishwasher". And, unlike say internet viewing habits, it's difficult developing an appropriate threat model. Anything/any ideas I can use to explain to them

It’s not as bad as your tv or your phone but it normalizes the practice. It also opens your local network to all kinds of vulnerabilities because of the world class level of quality and safety whatever smartness in the dishwasher was programmed with. And if it’s a smart anything, it probably comes with the app to make it work, which opens the gateway to our phone and its treasure trove of data.

So yeah I agree with your friends that data mining your dishwasher in itself is rather innocuous, but why allow it to happen altogether and open yourself to all the above?

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#633

Post by BizarroLand »

dawnerd wrote: post #540
jiggawatts wrote: post #160

I avoid all things Samsung for a much more important reason: They spy on you mercilessly, up to about the same level as Facebook. For example, they take screenshots of what you watch on your Samsung Televisions! Don't believe me? Take it from them: https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/resources/tv-... and https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/insights/ You're not their customer, you're the product.…

The only thing Samsung I’ll buy is their storage because really you don’t have much choice. If you buy from another company there’s a chance it’s using Samsung memory anyways. I’ve tried giving them second chances after they turned me off after the first set of tv spying the did. They opening lied about it saying they don’t inject ads or tracking or monitor what you watch. This was back when they put ads into content…

I don't like their phones, their TV screens are too blue-tinted for my eyes, and their appliances are packed full of fancy features that few appliance repair centers are competent at diagnosing and repairing, and every samsung appliance I have ever had has had a major fault within 3-5 years that ultimately led to the appliance being replaced.

I may be old school but I don't think its wrong of me to expect at least a decade out of an appliance, especially when you go mid-tier or higher. Samsung is priced at mid-tier or higher, where is the commensurate reliability?

They do make good SSDs though, I'll give them that.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#634

Post by HWR_14 »

ornornor wrote: post #631
HWR_14 wrote: post #629

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been asked "what's the danger of having Samsung datamine my washing machine/dryer/dishwasher". And, unlike say internet viewing habits, it's difficult developing an appropriate threat model. Anything/any ideas I can use to explain to them

It’s not as bad as your tv or your phone but it normalizes the practice. It also opens your local network to all kinds of vulnerabilities because of the world class level of quality and safety whatever smartness in the dishwasher was programmed with. And if it’s a smart anything, it probably comes with the app to make it work, which opens the gateway to our phone and its treasure trove of data. So yeah I agree with y…

> why allow it to happen altogether and open yourself to all the above?

According to them, for laundry, they don't want clothes to sit there longer than necessary without being dried or folded. For the dishes, they want to make sure that they remembered to start the dishwasher without having to go check

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#635

Post by exikyut »

ridgered4 wrote: post #503
josephg wrote: post #357

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. I have a smart tv. (What other kind exists today?). The remote has a netflix button - which is super useful. But according to my router, the TV sends a trickle of data over WIFI constantly. Even when its "off". So I've banned the TV from my WIFI network, and I just have a PC plugged into it. Its less convenient this way - we need to pull out a wireless keyboard & mouse to watch netflix. But I think its the right…

I run the same setup for the same reasons. I also think having the TV disable itself until given network access (but waiting until after you've thrown the box away) or having prepaid 5G will come soon. It's disgusting but here we are. I've actually come to appreciate the wireless keyboard though, it is awkward and bulky (even though it's a lightweight slim model) but the kids constantly lose the actual remote whereas…

I think the AirTag thing has kind of changed my subconscious mental model about losing things: reading the bit about losing the remote, I immediately thought to myself "why not have a beeper in the remote that you can ping via a button on the TV or a phone app?"

No comment about the 5G thing though. If that's where consumer is heading you'll find me shopping in the advertising/DOH display panel section and trying my hardest to ignore the irony :D

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#636

Post by pcurve »

genewitch wrote: post #351
pcurve wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I went through 3 lenovos in the past 17 years. I had 3 failures: 1. HDD failed. 2. SSD failed. 3. I dropped it from kitchen countertop. Backlight had to be replaced, but otherwise fine. There was zero failure associated with ports, keyboard, trackpad, or board. Mind you, each machine went through thousands of dock / undock cycle. Even batteries were holding strong charge after 5 years. These were work laptops and I d…

Dead Lenovo are very easy to fix, weirdly. I've had to fix both of mine. Imagine air quotes. You have to pull the battery cable and push the power button. That's it.

Ugh. I threw it out. :-(

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#637

Post by Siira »

tim333 wrote: post #547
DrBazza wrote: post #402

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The electronics industry has been anti-customer for a long time now. I stopped buying Sony back in the late 90s when all the DVD copy protection started. Then they added Cinavia, and so on. I don't agree with piracy, but I certainly don't agree with being told how I can use something I've purchased. And just yesterday there's the story about Dymo crippling their label printers if it does detect... RFID in their own p…

Anti consumer in some ways but I'm kind of struck on a daily basis with how nice and thoughtfully designed my Apple stuff is. (M1 Air and old SE). I mean if they were really anti consumer then why do they dominate consumer spending? I'm not aware of anyone forcing me to buy this stuff.

Take the SE; Small phones like that that have decent hardware are very few, almost non-existent. (Especially the original SE; Even iPhone Mini is not that compact.)

The industry is heavily monopolized, and the regulations are outdated.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#638

Post by Tarq0n »

dtjb wrote: post #529
Tarq0n wrote: post #517

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I avoid all things Samsung for a different reason: I don't want to support the subversion of the South-Korean state. It's become clear over the years [0] that the relationship between SK's administration is deeply unhealthy and anti-democratic. Until the economic power of the corporation is lessened it doesn't seem like the country is able to take effective measures either. [0] https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55674…

Doesn't your linked article counter that argument? Both the head of Samsung and a former president of SK received prison time for bribery. That seems big. I'm not knowledgeable about the full scope of the corruption, but based on that article it sounds like "effective measures" are entirely possible.

He served 200 days in jail, and seems to have lost minimal social standing. This was also highly exceptional to see any consequences at all. You’re right that the public outrage at the time was not entirely ineffective but the punishment was extraordinarily small.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#640

Post by SixDouble5321 »

southerntofu wrote: post #382
jiggawatts wrote: post #160

I avoid all things Samsung for a much more important reason: They spy on you mercilessly, up to about the same level as Facebook. For example, they take screenshots of what you watch on your Samsung Televisions! Don't believe me? Take it from them: https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/resources/tv-... and https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/insights/ You're not their customer, you're the product.…

> They're a slimy company made up of unscrupulous people trying to squeeze every last drop out of every rock. Unfortunately, i find it hard in this day and age to find a hardware manufacturer that's not abusive. Do you know of a hardware manufacturer that has a reasonable warranty policy, makes it easy to repair the hardware (no screws or standard screws, definitely no glue), publishes datasheets (specs) and does not…

Well, it's going to cost more up front, but they do exist.

EVGA has had even better warranties in the past but still have a decent one and I have always had good experiences with their customer service.

I have an LG dishwasher, and it has a service manual inside the housing and I can and have bought parts online.

Consumer reports has data about reliability of various household goods and appliances.

IFixit is a good source to check before you buy a cellphone and other various things.

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